What is Content Marketing?
Content marketing is sharing information and knowledge about a topic related to a product or service you sell, designed to educate potential customers. While content marketing is a means to an end (to make a sale), it isn’t in and of itself a total marketing strategy. Rather, it’s a key part of a larger marketing strategy.
At Memphis digital marketing and website design firm LAB Digital Creative, we work with clients to build strategic marketing plans that include content marketing for a variety of reasons.
“Content marketing is most effective when it’s integrated with a multichannel campaign that not only educates consumers … both online and offline to generate leads, prospects, and sales … Brands that submit content for SEO can boost their sales more than 25% than retailers who just advertise.”1
Examples of content marketing could be a blog post about a trend in your industry, an article discussing how to address a problem that is common to your customers, a webinar or an email newsletter giving tips and tricks.
People want to know how to solve their problems, and by positioning yourself as an industry and thought leader, you establish credibility and authority. Thus making it more likely that a potential customer will buy the product or service you offer.
WHY CONTENT MARKETING?
- Frames the questions — Content marketing allows prospects to focus on what features, functions and capabilities they should be looking for. (Hint: you’re the Answer)
- Makes the prospect appreciative — The principle of reciprocity works here — you’ve given something, and now the recipients may be disposed to give you more consideration.
- Generates more inquiries — People are more likely to reach out because they are coming to you for knowledge, and you’ve established yourself as an authority and source of information.
- Establishes you as an authority — Consumers would much rather buy from someone they see as an expert and source of knowledge than someone else.
- Drives sales by increasing your entrants into your funnel
- Increases search rankings and drives web traffic — Google loves fresh, relevant content, and that’s exactly what blogs and good content marketing provide for your search rankings.
- You’re getting prospects to come to you versus you having to go to them.
Interested in learning more about content marketing? Get in touch with us today, and let’s chat.
1 THE CONTENT MARKETING HANDBOOK, ROBERT W. BLY
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